Daniel Carter-Brennan
Biography
Daniel Carter-Brennan is a lighting designer working across theatre, comedy and screen, with work seen in the West End, on Broadway, and internationally including the Sydney Opera House.
He is the lighting designer behind the Olivier-nominated One Woman Show (Liz Kingsman) and Age Is A Feeling (Haley McGee), a collaboration ongoing since 2022. With recent work including Echo, Four Play, and Fascinating Aïda.
His wider work spans opera in the UK and Malta, ballet with the Ukrainian Ballet, and televised theatre including series work for Amazon Prime Video. His collaborators include Samantha Barks, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Grace Campbell, Henry Rowley, and Sh!t Theatre, with work presented at venues including The Palladium and The Southbank Centre.
His work centres on colour, timing, and control, building lighting around action and rhythm to create images that read instantly and hold focus. He is usually still refining a cue long after he was convinced it was finished.
More information about my personal or professional identity:
Being in the room is a core part of his process, treated as equally important as the design concept itself. He works in a way that stays adaptive, keeping the lighting flexible enough to respond to what’s actually happening on stage as a piece develops, rather than fixing decisions early.
He works closely with directors, writers, and performers to balance structure and instinct, supporting the work without diluting its voice, while maintaining a clear and recognisable visual identity.
He is detail-focused and continues refining work throughout rehearsals, tech, and previews, with particular attention to timing, pace, and how an audience reads each moment.
Previous productions
Forthcoming productions
| Show name | Type | Venue/Company | Role | Creative team | Opens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrie Hope Fletcher - The Ghostlight Tour | Theatre | Lambert Jackson | Lighting Designer | 08 Oct 2026 | |
| UNDERTALE - The Determination Symphony | Concert | Lambert Jackson | Lighting Designer | 26 Sep 2026 | |
| ShxtNGigs - Tour | Corporate & Industrial | Lambert Jackson | Lighting Designer | 24 May 2026 | |
| The Guy Who Didnt Like Musicals | Theatre |
Apollo Theatre, West End Lambert Jackson |
Associate Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Brandon Baruch |
14 May 2026 |
Previous productions
| Show name | Type | Venue/Company | Role | Creative Team | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age Is A Feeling | Theatre |
Soho Theatre, Walthamstow Soho Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Mitchell Cushman Set designer: Zoe Hurwitz |
Mar 2026 |
| Stewart Lee - ManWulf | Theatre |
Alexandra Palace, London Password Productions |
Touring Re-Lighter |
Lighting designer: Adam King |
Feb 2026 |
| Collabro, THe Harmonies Tour | Theatre | Lambert Jackson | Lighting Designer | Feb 2026 | |
| Julian Ovenden - Cathedrals Tour | Theatre | Lambert Jackson | Lighting Designer | Jan 2026 | |
| 28 Days Later | Concert |
Hammersmith Apollo Lambert Jackson |
Lighting Designer | Jan 2026 | |
| EVITA TOO | Theatre |
Purcell Room, Southbank Centre Judith Dimant Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Ursula Martinez Set designer: Zoe Hurwitz |
Dec 2025 |
| Samantha Barks - The Cathedrals | Theatre | Lambert Jackson | Lighting Designer | Nov 2025 | |
| Aunty Donna - DREM World Tour | Theatre | Mick Perrin Worldwide | Production Electrician |
Lighting designer: Lachlan Mill |
Oct 2025 |
| Echo | Theatre |
Kings Head Theatre DEM Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Abigail Zealey Bess Set designer: Peiyao Wang |
Jul 2025 |
| Four Play | Theatre |
Kings Head Theatre DEM Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Jack Sain Set designer: Peiyao Wang |
Jul 2025 |
| Jordan Brooks - Fontanelle | Theatre |
Soho Theatre Individual Artist Management |
Lighting Designer | Feb 2025 | |
| Stewart Lee - ManWulf | Theatre | Password Productions | Touring Re-Lighter |
Lighting designer: Adam King |
Jan 2025 |
| Grace Campbell - On Heat | Theatre |
Hammersmith Apollo Mick Perrin Worldwide |
Lighting Designer | Nov 2024 | |
| Henry Rowley - Just Literally | Theatre |
Pleasence Theatre, Edinburgh Mick Perrin Worldwide |
Lighting Designer | Jul 2024 | |
| Jordan Brooks - Fontanelle | Musical |
Pleasence Theatre, Edinburgh Individual Artist Management |
Lighting Designer | Jul 2024 | |
| Age Is A Feeling | Theatre |
Soulpepper Soho Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Mitchell Cushman Set designer: Zoe Hurwitz |
May 2024 |
| Fascinating Aida | Theatre | Password Productions | Lighting Designer |
Director: Paul Foster |
Jan 2024 |
| Fascinating Aida | Theatre | Password Productions | Lighting Designer |
Director: Paul Foster |
Sep 2023 |
| Fascinating Aida | Theatre | Password Productions | Lighting Designer |
Director: Paul Foster |
Sep 2023 |
| One Woman Show | Theatre |
Greenwich House Theatre, New York OWS Goes Global |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace Set designer: Chloe Lamford |
Jun 2023 |
| One Woman Show | Theatre |
Malthouse Theatre Up Yours Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace Set designer: Chloe Lamford |
Apr 2023 |
| Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares | Theatre |
Soho Theatre Individual Artist Management |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace |
Mar 2023 |
| Crybabies, Bagbeard | Theatre |
Soho Theatre Crybabies |
Lighting Designer | Mar 2023 | |
| Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares | Theatre |
Greenwich House Theatre, New York Individual Artist Management |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace |
Feb 2023 |
| Age Is A Feeling | Theatre |
Soho Theatre Soho Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace Set designer: Zoe Hurwitz |
Feb 2023 |
| One Woman Show | Theatre |
Sydney Opera House Up Yours Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace |
Feb 2023 |
| Crybabies, Bagbeard | Theatre |
Soho Theatre Crybabies |
Lighting Designer | Jan 2023 | |
| One Woman Show | Theatre |
The Ambassadors Theatre London Wessex Grove |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace |
Dec 2022 |
| Partenope | Opera |
Festival Malta Hampstead Garden Opera |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Ashley Pearson |
Nov 2022 |
| Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares | Theatre |
Soho Theatre Individual Artist Management |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace |
Oct 2022 |
| Les Dawson, Flying High | Theatre | So Comedy | Lighting Designer |
Director: Bob Golding Set designer: Jane Green |
Sep 2022 |
| Age Is A Feeling | Theatre |
Soho Theatre Soho Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace Set designer: Zoe Hurwitz |
Sep 2022 |
| One Woman Show | Theatre |
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Country Mile Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace |
Aug 2022 |
| Les Dawson, Flying High | Theatre |
Assembly George Square, Edinburgh So Comedy |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Bob Golding |
Aug 2022 |
| Age Is A Feeling | Theatre |
Summerhall, Edinburgh Festival Soho Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace |
Aug 2022 |
| Fascinating Aida | Theatre |
Assembly George Square, Edinburgh Password Productions |
Associate Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Mike Robertson Director: Paul Foster |
Aug 2022 |
| Ballet Freedom | Dance |
EICC, Edinburgh Fringe Freedom Ballet of Ukraine |
Lighting Designer | Aug 2022 | |
| Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares | Theatre |
Pleasance Baby Grand Individual Artist Management |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace |
Aug 2022 |
| The Heart Of It | Concert |
Wilton's Music Hall Highfield Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Joseph Atkins |
Jul 2022 |
| The Heart Of It | Concert |
Riverside Studios Highfield Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Joseph Atkins |
Apr 2022 |
| Next Slide Please | Theatre | Password Productions | Lighting Designer | Apr 2022 | |
| Fascinating Aida | Theatre | Password Productions | Associate Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Mike Robertson Director: Paul Foster |
Jan 2022 |
| Soho Theatre Live | Television |
Soho Theatre Prime Video |
Lighting Designer | Jun 2021, Jan 2022 | |
| One Woman Show | Theatre |
Soho Theatre Country Mile Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace |
Jan 2022 |
| Fascinating Aida | Theatre | Password Productions | Touring Re-Lighter |
Lighting designer: Mike Robertson Director: Paul Foster |
Sep 2021 |
| How To Build A City | Theatre |
Omnibus Theatre STATE of the art |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Munotida Chinyanga Set designer: Valentina Gentilin |
Aug 2021 |
| Soho Theatre Live | Television |
Soho Theatre Prime Video |
Lighting Designer | Jun 2021, Jan 2022 | |
| One Woman Show | Theatre |
Vault Festival, London Country Mile Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Adam Brace |
Feb 2020 |
| Sold | Theatre |
Pleasence Theatre, Edinburgh Oxford Playhouse |
Lighting Designer | Jul 2019 | |
| Partenope | Opera |
Jackon's Lane Theatre Hampstead Garden Opera |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Ashley Pearson |
May 2019 |
| Gilgamesh | Theatre |
National Theatre of Rome, then touring STATE of the art |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Munotida Chinyanga & Simone Giustinelli |
Jun 2018 |
Location availability:
- UK London
- UK Provinces
- Worldwide
| Contact method | Details |
|---|---|
| Email address | danielldesign@outlook.com |
Theatre:
- International
- West End
- Commercial Tour
- Regional (Main House)
- Regional (Studio)
- Small Scale Touring
- Fringe / Pub Theatre
- Touring relights
Musical:
- Regional (Main House)
Opera:
- International
- Large scale
- Small scale
Dance:
- Large Scale
- Medium Scale
Concert:
- Stage Touring
Corporate:
- Conferences
- Award Ceremonies
- Open Air Events
Architectural:
- Domestic
News
Appearing here soon... a collection of articles from the Focus magazine archives.
Portfolio
Age Is A Feeling
Collabro, THe Harmonies Tour
28 Days Later
Samantha Barks - The Cathedrals
Echo
Grace Campbell - On Heat
Age Is A Feeling
Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares
Age Is A Feeling
One Woman Show
Les Dawson, Flying High
One Woman Show
Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares
Ballet Freedom
Age Is A Feeling
Les Dawson, Flying High
The Heart Of It
Fascinating Aida
One Woman Show
How To Build A City
Partenope
Gilgamesh
Press quotes
Echo
"Daniel Carter-Brennan's lighting, meanwhile, works some subtle magic to emphasise the broody, uncanny atmosphere of the setting"
Michael Higgs, The Upcoming 24/07/2025
"Daniel Carter-Brennan's lighting [does] a great job of realising the intense, intimate battleground"
Jake Wiafe, Theatre Weekly 23/07/2025
Four Play
"fantastic use of lighting transforming the stage and representing the changing situations and tone"
Daz Gale, All That Dazzles 16/07/2025
"the lighting and sound design is flawless, imaginative and perfectly timed"
The Recs IT, The Recs 16/07/2025
Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares
"Rapid shifts in tone are greatly aided by the wit of Daniel Carter-Brennan’s lighting design."
Naveen Kumar, The New York Times 21/02/2023
One Woman Show
"proper lighting and industrial quantities of haze. It looks great."
Julia Chamberlain, Chortle 20/12/2022
